A 12-year-old Lake Country phenom, Enderby singer-songwriter-guitarist and astounding 琉璃神社 duo are just a few of the talents in Focus online.
The Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre returns in a big way with episode four of its successful Focus Online Series, four days only, March 4-7.
The latest episode features area rockabilly band Dixie Fried Hep Katz, Lake Country singer Payton Bischoff, veteran East Coast-style band Maritime Kitchen Party and a performance by 琉璃神社鈥檚 Scotty Berg and Justin Moore.
The new venture is free to view (although donations are accepted) at .
It has been met by widespread viewer and industry praise for the highly-talented and diverse performers, technical production values and seamless online accessibility. Focus episodes one to three have played to 2,800 viewers, (and another 1,020 viewers for Ballet 琉璃神社鈥檚 recent One With) and has gained a significant jump in the art centre鈥檚 Instagram followers.
鈥淲e have been blown away by the talent of these young artists,鈥� artistic director Erin Kennedy said. 鈥淭hey have been lovely to work with and so professional. We are excited for our community to enjoy their performances.鈥�
Touted as 鈥渢he future of Rockabilly鈥� by The Wheelgrinders, the Dixie Fried Hep Katz鈥� young trio is led by Enderby鈥檚 singer-songwriter-guitarist Porter Johnson; with drummer-backup vocals-songwriter Kyndra Johnson; and 鈥渟lapping鈥� bass player Logan Bannick.
They are heavily influenced by the Sun Records artists and others from the 鈥�50s including Eddie Cochrane, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Duane Eddy and modern rockabilly greats: The Stray Cats, The Wheelgrinders, Cousin Harley and Reverend Horton Heat. The Dixie Fried Hep Katz has quickly earned a large following and has set its sights on recording and touring.
鈥淚t was an honour to perform at this great venue,鈥� the band said. 鈥淭he sound rocked and we enjoyed the big stage! Everything was set-up well and this was a great experience. The production team was top notch and made it easy for us to do our thing 鈥� Rockabilly!鈥�
Lake Country鈥檚 Payton Bischoff is a proud, Top 12 finalist in Okanagan鈥檚 Got Talent 鈥� out of more than 140 contestants. Bischoff loves to perform in a variety of venues, from talent competitions to busking in downtown 琉璃神社. She is also passionate about acting and enjoys performing on stage with 琉璃神社鈥檚 Actors Studio.
鈥淚 loved that there was a sound person, a videographer, and a lighting guy. It made it feel like I was in a music video,鈥� Bischoff said about her recording experience. 鈥淚t was amazing to watch myself after they recorded me singing, I was so excited and didn鈥檛 want it to end.鈥�
Veteran performers Maritime Kitchen Party is named for this long-standing East Coast tradition. Maritimers love to party 鈥� and inevitably the party ends up in the kitchen. There鈥檚 always a guitar with someone belting-out traditional songs at the top of their lungs. Maritime Kitchen Party brings that feeling to their live performance, with foot-stomping music heavily influenced by Canadiana such as Great Big Sea, Stompin鈥� Tom, Blue Rodeo and more. Maritime Kitchen Party has opened for, or played with: Kim Mitchell, 54/40, Men of the Deep, Big Sugar (twice), Tal Bachman, Prism, The Sheepdogs (twice), Blue Rodeo and many more.
Thirteen-year-old Scotty Berg has already performed in front of thousands, singing at Wentworth Music rock shows, the national anthem at numerous sporting events, Okanagan鈥檚 Got Talent and he won the Armstrong Fair鈥檚 Youth Talent competition. Berg recorded an original song, I Wouldn鈥檛 Know What to Do and is now followed on social media by artists Aaron Pritchett, Laura Cavacece and Ben Klick, influencer Jillian Harris and NHL star Tyson Barrie. As a versatile vocalist, he is passionate about all genres of music and is studying guitar and piano to expand his musical capabilities. Berg will be performing in a duet with Justin Moore, an ultra-talented local who has already found success on YouTube and has released several of his own songs for which he produces and plays all the instruments. His blend of pop and alternative rock has also been compared to Ed Sheeran, John Legend and Josh Groban. He also comes from a richly talented musical lineage as the son of well known local, Julliard-trained opera singers Paul Moore and Melina Schein 鈥� who was featured in episode two.
鈥淚t was really a great experience to be a part of this series,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淭he production team was absolutely killer. All we (with Scotty Berg) had to do was walk onstage and perform and everything was clean, organized and professional and was really well done.
鈥淚 think this is a phenomenal way to bring attention to the music industry when musicians can鈥檛 play live,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great move and it鈥檚 the way of the future to make content like this and I hope people take the time to enjoy some 鈥榩seudo live鈥� music and support local musicians.鈥�
The Dixie Fried Hep Katz echoed that: 鈥淲e are grateful to VDPAC and the FOCUS Online Series for this opportunity to perform during this time of limited performances.鈥�
To view free 1-minute featurettes of FOCUS Online Series performers from Episodes 1 to 4, viewers can go online to YouTube and enter 鈥渧dpac鈥� in the Search field for VDPAC鈥檚 own YouTube channel.
Watch Episode 4 of VDPAC鈥檚 FOCUS Online Series for free, (Running time: 18:23minutes) airing from 12:01 a.m., Thursday, March 4, to midnight, Sunday, March 7, with comments welcome on Facebook (@vdpac) or Instagram (@vernonperformingarts).
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